1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a hydraulically damping rubber sleeve spring comprising two separately constructed annular parts that are assembled axially. Each annular part has an inner support sleeve and an outer support sleeve surrounding the inner support sleeve with radial spacing, as well as a spring element made of an elastomeric material which connects the support sleeve and which is provided with at least two recesses. The annular parts are configured and assembled such that the recesses complement one another to form first and second fluid-filled working chambers, which are sealed with respect to the outside environment and are connected, in a manner to allow fluid to pass therebetween, by at least one damping device.
2. Description of Related Art
A rubber sleeve spring is shown in German Patent 38 10 310. The rubber mount shown therein is designed so that the rubber spring can be shear-loaded, and so that high-frequency vibrations with low amplitudes are not damped, but low-frequency vibrations with large amplitudes are strongly damped. Damping of vibrations depending upon conditions is possible only in the radial direction; spring stiffnesses in the axial and radial directions are insufficiently adjustable to the particular application, since cylindrical hollow springs are axially stiff and can only be designed to be radially soft with large radial loads.
Because of physical principles, other common rubber sleeve spring embodiments with springs arranged only radially and with comparatively thin chambers walls on the ends yield relatively high radial spring rates and very low axial spring rates.